E3 2002: America's Army announced

At the 2002 Electronic Entertainment Expo today in Los Angeles, the United States Army announced America's Army, its upcoming combat simulation game. The game is being developed by the US Army and a team of Department of Defense experts in simulations and virtual environments. It will feature two modes, a role-playing mode and a first-person action mode, and it is designed to give players an inside perspective on what it's like to be in the US Army.

The role-playing mode will take players through training and adventures that involve tactical, technical, and physical challenges similar to experiences soldiers might have on their first tour of duty both on and off duty. Players will have to manage their values and resources as they try to achieve their selected personal and career goals.

The game's action mode is a team-based multiplayer first-person shooter that can support up to 32 players per game. The game is built on Epic's latest Unreal 3D engine, and it will include 20 single- and multiplayer missions. It will have training missions such as navigating an obstacle course and parachuting, which are a prerequisite to joining the multiplayer missions. In the multiplayer matches, both teams will perceive that they are on the US team. Communication will also play a large role in the game, and players will be able to send messages to their teammates using speech, whispers, shouts, radio messages, and genuine military hand and arm signals.

America's Army is scheduled for release in August. The game will be distributed for free in response to requests at the game's official Web site and will be available for download from the Internet. We'll post more information about the game as it becomes available.